A PALE ONE WILL RISE

PART IV: IDEE' FIXE

Two winters passed.

West of the village right by the sea was where Evelyn's parents and her fellow neighbors were long laid to rest. And here she was, same old bronze sword in hand.

In a wide, grassy field, metal bounced off metal. Long, controlled breaths escaped her mouth, all the while attempting to ward off or at the very least ease the sore feeling growing fast in her wrists and in her arms. Evelyn had thought that she'd get used to parrying on a basic level during the first day of training, but her inexperienced mind was fooled.

"Not bad, Evelyn." her sparring partner said to her, a cheeky grin sprouting on his face. "But you have quite the ways to go before we move on. Best to learn from trial and error."

Through the tired and labored breaths, Evelyn mirrored his smile. "I'm not stopping until I get this right."

From a fair distance, Martha and Elijah stood in the distance, watching on with drained expressions. "How long has it been? An hour? We haven't eaten breakfast yet and she wants to start training again?" Martha complained.

"You know how badly she wants to master swordsmanship. Besides, you know we've done this before and no one dragged us out here. Could've stayed behind, ya know?"

Martha was silent for a moment. "Alright fine. I came out here to watch because I want to learn too. I want to know I can properly defend myself...and others...ya know, instead of that reckless move back in the forest." she half-joked, still a little sensitive on the topic of what transpired back then. "Don't want to be the black sheep on this one."

"Hey, you saved us. Good start enough. Maybe you and Evelyn would make good sparing partners again? I mean, the first time around was a bit...rough. But it'll be nothing compared to what the future could bring to us." Elijah punctuated his point with a light punch to her shoulder.

Letting a brief chuckle escape, she returned her gaze towards Evelyn and their long-ago savior as they sword-danced. "Heh, I don't want her to chop my head off."

"Good friends don't chop each others heads off."

The final pang of the evening rang out in a metallic echo through the clearing. Evelyn lowered her sword and caught her breath as the eye patched cat re-sheathed his own. "That is enough. For today at least." he said, walking past Evelyn who feigned her boost of energy.

"No, it's quite alright! I go another ten-"

"Training's over, missy. There's no need to overwork things. You must find balance within yourself and your ability. Only then can you easily grow faster from there. Things like this take proper patience...even after a year's worth of doing it. I've said this many times before."

"With this, Evelyn sighed in defeat. "Well, okay. So Mr. Eyepatch..."

"You know 'ta call me Isembard, missy. No need 'ta make my former injury a trademark."

Evelyn lowered her gaze in slight embarrassment, quickly straightening herself once more. "Um, sorry...so, Mr. Isembard. Who taught you your swordsmanship? Or really how to fight in general? Took me long enough to ask..."

Isembard chuckled, relishing in unexpectedly conjured up memories of days long passed by. "My father taught me, of course. And my mother some as well; but both more on the side of swordsmanship. I mostly taught myself the bow and quiver. They were both the stepping stones that led me down a path of relative competence. To be truthful, twasn't easy for me at first, but I adapted. Maybe your friends would like to build more skills for themselves also."